Awning recess



March 29, 1938., E. H SCHANE 2,112,579

' AWNING RECESS Filed June 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i 1 (iii? nII IJ IIIIIIIII fie. 3

. INVENTOR.

fbw/wo h. Sol-Mme- BY ATTORNEYS E.- H. SCHANE AWNING RECESS March 29, 1938.

Filed June 24, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I 1N VENTOR. fbwAflo f1 Sc/MNE YA'ITORNEYQ awning recess. :cludes means for rotating the awning roller 2 in Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES AWNING RECESS Edward H. Schane, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Fanner Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 24, 1935, Serial No. 28,103

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to an awning recess in a building, within which the awning is supported and into which it is adapted to be retracted when not in use, and more particularly to a closure for such a recess and a means for supporting and operating the same.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a novel closure for an awning recess, including means for operating the same which can be readily operated to open and close the recess and is applicable to recesses of any length.

The invention resides in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, and other objects and advantages thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a building provided with an awning recess embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with "the door or closure .for the awning recess open.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, detailed view of a portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified construction.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is .a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a further modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the reference character A designates a building generally, which may be of any conventional construction. The building A is provided with a rectangular awning recess B within which an awning is supported, and into which the awning is retracted when not in use.

The awning per se forms no part of the present invention and will not be described in detail, suffice it 'to say that the awning illustrated is of the lateral arm type comprising a sheet of canvas or other suitable awning material I attachedto a roller 2 rotatably supported in brackets 3 and 4, bolted or otherwise secured 'to the rear wall of the awning recess. The front or free edge of the awning material I is secured to a rod 5 attached tothe free ends of a plurality of lateral arms 6 adjustably secured to brackets "I, also bolted or otherwise fixed to the rear wall of the The right-hand bracket 3 .in-

the spring to which they are attached, adapted either direction for the purpose of lowering or raising the awning in a manner well known in the art. As illustrated, this means comprises a short shaft 8 provided with a hook 9 adapted to be engaged by a winding brace (not shown), but, if desired, may be driven by an electric motor, etc.

A closure is provided for the awning recess in the form of a door II fixed to a shaft l2 rotatably supported in a plurality of brackets or hooks l3 bolted or otherwise secured to the ceiling of 19 the awning recess. The door ll may be secured to the shaft I2 in any conventional manner. As illustrated the door is spaced from the shaft a short distance and secured thereto through the mediumof a plurality of clamp members M. The ;15 members 14 are clamped to the shaft l2 by bolts [5 and the door is secured thereto by machine screws I6 which extend through the door and are threaded into tapped apertures in the member M. The shaft I2 is adapted to be rotated in either direction to open and close the door through the medium of a worm and wormwheel drive, and a shaft I! provided with a hook I 8 adapted to receive a winding brace (not shown). The shaft I1 is rotatably supported in a bracket l9 bolted to the end wall of the awning recess and carries a worm 20 fixed thereto which is continuously in mesh with a worm Wheel or sec- .tor 2l fixed to the shaft l2. The bracket l-9 also forms a bearing for the end of the shaft l2 and :30 maintains the worm and worm wheel in proper meshed relation at all times.

According to the present invention provision is made for supplementing the manual means for lifting or opening the door of the awning recess, thereby making the manual operation of short heavy doors easier and making possible the use of longer doors. Prior to the present invention it was impractical to use doors greater than some "twenty feet in length because suificient force to 4 operate the same could not be transmitted through the operating shaft, the size of which was necessarily limited. As illustrated, this means comprises a plurality of torsional coil springs 24 surrounding the shaft l2 at intervals .45 therealong adapted to exert a force thereon, or directly on the door if desired, in a direction to open the door.

The right hand ends of the springs .24 are formed into hooks 25 which engage the brackets .50 1.3, while the left hand ends thereof are secured .to tubular members 26 rotatably supported on the shaft l2. The members 26 have cross slots .or grooves 21 in the .end face thereof remote from to receive pins 28 secured to the adjacent faces of the members H.

To maintain the pins 28 in the cross slots 21 the springs 24 are placed under slight compression between the brackets I3 and the members Ill. The torsion of the springs 24, or in other words, the force exerted by the respective springs, in a direction to open the door, can be adjusted as desired by manually disengaging the slots 21 from the pins 28 and rotating the members 26 in the desired direction. For this purpose the members 26 are provided with a plurality of apertures adapted to receive a suitable tool.

The springs 24 may be of any appropriate size and any desired number thereof may be employed. Preferably they are spaced at intervals of from three to five feet, but the number employed and size thereof will be determined by the length and weight of the door, etc. Very satisfactory operation has been obtained where the torsion of the springs has been so adjusted that the door would normally stand about half open if the shaft l 2 was free to rotate within the worm wheel 2|. In the present instance it is necessary to pull the door closed by rotating the shaft I1, and the self-locking feature of the worm and worm wheel secures the same in the closed position.

A modification of the construction just described, also embodying the present invention, is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the parts which are duplicates of those previously referred to are designated by the same reference characters and will not be specifically referred to or described. As shown in these figures the door 30 is hinged directly to the building, as illustrated, to the forward edge of the ceiling plate 3| of the awning recess by a pintle pin 32, and is operated by a plurality of levers 33 fixed to the shaft I2 by set screws 34'. In the present instance the pins 28 are carried by the levers 33 and the members 26 abut thereagainst. In order that the door may be positively moved in both directions the free ends of the levers 33 are provided with rollers 35 which engage underneath a strap member 36 secured to the rear side of the door.

As has been previously stated with reference to the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the shaft ll may be motor driven, if desired, and this is equally true with reference to either modification illustrated. In like manner the shaft 8 may also be motor operated. Such a modification of the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, is shown in Fig. '7 wherein the shafts 8 and I! are projected into the interior of the building and operatively connected to electric motors (not shown), controlled in any well known manner.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown, which may be varied within the scope of this invention. The present application is intended to cover all adaptations, variations and uses of the present invention which come within the customary practice of those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and I particularly point out and claim as my invention the following:

1. In a building structure the combination of a wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly, adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported within said recess and located or positioned adjacent the upper edge of said opening, a member or door for closing said opening, means for operatively connecting said-door and said shaft whereby said door is rotated or oscillated about a horizontal axis adjacent the upper edge of said opening upon rotation or oscillation of said shaft, means for rotating or oscillating said shaft, a resilient member or spring spaced from said last mentioned means, and means for operatively connecting said resilient member or spring to said building structure and to said member or door, said resilient member or spring being operable to rotate said member or door in an outwardly direction to open the same.

2. In a building structure the combination of a wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported within said enclosure or recess, said shaft being located or positioned adjacent to the upper edge of said opening and extending substantially the length thereof, a member or door for closing said opening, means for operatively connecting said member or door and said shaft whereby said door is rotated or oscillated about a horizontal axis adjacent the upper edge of said opening upon rotation or oscillation of said shaft, a worm wheel fixed on said shaft, a second shaft rotatably supported within said enclosure or recess with one end thereof projecting therefrom, a worm on said second shaft in mesh with said worm wheel, means for rotating or oscillating said second shaft, a torsional spring surrounding said shaft and spaced from said worm wheel, and means for operatively connecting said spring to said building structure and to said member or door said spring being operable to move said member or door outwardly about its pivotal axis in a direction to open the same. I

3. In a building structure the combination of a wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably or pivotally supported within said enclosure or recess, said shaft being located orpositioned adjacent to the upper edge of said opening and extending substantially the length thereof, a member or door for closing said opening fixed to said shaft and carried thereby, means for rotating or oscillating said shaft, a resilientmember or spring spaced from said last mentioned means, and means for operatively connecting said resilient member or spring to said building structure and to said member or door, said resilient member or spring being operable to move said member or .door in an outwardly direction to open the same.

4. In a building structure the combination of a Wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably or pivotally supported within said enclosure or recess, said shaft being located or positioned adjacent to the upper edge of said opening and extending substantially the length thereof, a member or door for closing said opening fixed to said shaft and carried thereby, a worm wheel fixed to one end of said shaft, a second shaft rotatably supported within said enclosure or recess with one end projecting therefrom, a Worm fixed to said second shaft and in mesh with said worm Wheel, means for rotating or oscillating said second shaft, a torsional spring surrounding said shaft and spaced from said worm wheel, and means for operatively connecting said spring to said building structure and to said member or door, said spring being operable to move said member or door outwardly about its pivotal axis in a direction to open the same.

5. In a building structure the combination of a Wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a member or door for closing said opening hinged to said building structure along the upper edge of said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatably supported within said recess, said shaft being located or positioned adjacent to the upper edge of said opening and extending substantially the entire length thereof, means for operatively connecting said door and said shaft, means for rotating or oscillating said shaft, a spring spaced from said last mentioned means, and means for operatively connecting said spring to said building structure and to said member or door, said spring being operable to move said member or door outwardly in a direction to open the same.

6. In a building structure the combination of a wall provided with an awning enclosure or recess opening outwardly adapted to have an awning supported therein for extension or retraction through said opening, a member or door for closing said opening hinged to said building structure along the upper edge of said opening, a horizontal shaft rotatablysupported within said recess, said shaft being located or positioned adjacent to the upper edge of said opening and extending substantially the entire length thereof, means for operatively connecting said member or door and said shaft, a worm Wheel fixed to said shaft, a second shaft rotatably supported within said enclosure or recess with one end thereof projecting therefrom, a Worm fixed to said second shaft and in mesh with said Worm wheel, means for rotating or oscillating said second shaft, a torsional spring surrounding said shaft and spaced from said Worm Wheel, and means for operatively connecting said spring to said building structure and to said member or door, said spring being operable to move said member or door outwardly about its pivotal axis in a direction to open the same.

EDWARD H. SCI-IANE. 

